Construction and manufacturing process for drop on demand print heads with nozzle heaters

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(11)

EP 0 771 658 A3

(12)	EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88)	Date of publication A3:
	05.11.1997 Bulletin 1997/45

(43)	Date of publication A2:
	07.05.1997 Bulletin 1997/19

(21)	Application number: 96116117.1

(22)	Date of filing: 09.10.1996

(51)	International Patent Classification (IPC)⁶: B41J 2/16

(84)	Designated Contracting States:
	DE FR GB

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Priority:

30.10.1995 AU PN6238/95

(71)	Applicant: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
	Rochester, New York 14650 (US)

(72)	Inventor:
	Silverbrook, Kia, Eastman Kodak Co. Rochester, New York 14650-2201 (US)

(74)	Representative: Reichert, Werner Franz, Dr. et al
	Kodak Aktiengesellschaft, Patent Department 70323 Stuttgart 70323 Stuttgart (DE)

(54)	Construction and manufacturing process for drop on demand print heads with nozzle heaters

(57) A construction and manufacturing process for drop on demand print heads provides electrothermal heating elements which are in close proximity to the tip of the nozzle, and therefore achieve efficient thermal coupling to the ink.
The construction utilizes metal layer electrodes formed as part of a CMOS drive circuit fabrication on a silicon wafer. A nozzle tip hole is then etched with an axis generally normal to the electrode layers. A heater substance and a passivation layer are deposited on the wafer. These layers are then anisotropically etched, leaving heater and passivation layers on the vertical sidewalls of the nozzle tip hole. Ink channels and nozzle barrels are then etched in the wafer, preferably using an etchant which has a high selectivity against the passivation layer and heater material, such as EDP.

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